Gun case protective closure device

ABSTRACT

A protective closure device for fitting to the end of a gun case, to protect the muzzle and forward sight of the gun from dirt and impacts, is disclosed. The device comprises a resilient plastic cap having an internal ledge, within which is received the end of the sight guard sleeve of the gun case and a resilient plug. The plug has projections which pass through holes in the sleeve and are retained behind the ledge in the cap by interference fit and engagement with the ledge. The plug presents a closed end face to the gun muzzle, and with the cap, defines an air enclosure so that impacts of the muzzle of the plug end face are absorbed without shock by the resilient cushioning effect of the interfitted plug and cap.

United States Patent 1 13,570,703

[72] Inventor James Alexander MacRae References Cited Toronto, Ontario, Canada UNITED STATES PATENTS [21] pp 858,616 2,801,741 8/1957 Harkness m1. 220/42 [221 ile p 17,1969 2,941,562 6/1960 Ripin 150/5 [45] Patented Mar. 16, 1971 I 73 Assignee Edwards-Day Limited Pnmary s? Toronto Ontario, Canada Attorney-Maybee & Legrls ABSTRACT: A protective closure device for fitting to the end of a gun case, to protect the muzzle and forward sight of the gun from dirt and impacts, is disclosed. The device comprises a resilient lastic cap having an internal ledge, within which is [54] GUNFASE PROTECTIVE CLOSURE DEVICE received th e end of the sight guard sleeve of the gun case and a 8 clalmsznrawmg Figs resilient plug. The plug has projections which pass through [52] US. Cl. 220/29, holes in the sleeve and are retained behind the ledge in the cap 220/60, 220/42, 150/5, 206/16 by interference fit and engagement with the ledge. The plug [51 Int. Cl B65d 51/ 1 presents a closed end face to the gun muzzle, and with the cap, B65d 43/0 defines an air enclosure so that impacts of the muzzle of the Field of Search 220/29, 42, plug end face are absorbed without shock by the resilient cushioning effect of the interfitted plug and cap.

PATENIED m1 6 |97| III"; y,

INVENTOR.

JAMES A. MACRAE ATTORNEYS GUN EASE PROTECTIVE CLOSURE DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a protective closure device, for use in closing the end of a gun case.

Gun cases for carrying and protecting guns when not in use are commonly made of leather, canvas, plastic or the like durable, flexible material, and completely enfold the gun, protecting it from water, dirt, etc., when not in use. Closing the muzzle end of the case in a neat but firm manner presents a problem. It is additionally desirable to provide protective means for the muzzle end of the gun, to protect the muzzle and sight of the gun from damage due to impact, e.g. when the gun is being carried in its case, over rough terrain. It will be appreciated that the muzzle and sight are particularly vulnerable partsof the gun to impact damage, since small amounts of damage to these parts will serve to spoil the precision of the entiregun. To provide some added protection, an additional sight guard protective sleeve is often included, which is secured to the barrel end of the gun case and envelopes the muzzle and sight of the gun. This sleeve is commonly made of strong, durable material such as leather. Even with such a protective sleeve, the muzzle of the gun is susceptible to damage by impact on the end of the sleeve. The provision of a suitable closure means for the muzzle end of the gun case which is both neat and attractive in appearance, and provides the necessary protection for the muzzle and sight of the gun has been a problem for a number of years.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a neat and attractive, permanently assembled protective closure device for the end of a gun case. A further object is to provide such a protective closure device which will cushion impacts experienced by the muzzle end of the gun and thereby protect the muzzle and sight of the gunfrom damage due to impacts. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment.

Briefly, the gun case protective closure device of the present invention comprises a cap and a deformable plug fitted within the cap and engaging the end of a flexible sleeve forming a part of the gun case, the interfit between the cap and the plug being such as to retain these parts in a permanently assembled manner with the flexible sleeve. The cap and the plug are preferably made of resilient material, and interfit to form an air cushion, which effectively absorbs impacts on the muzzle of the gun.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of the invention for illustrated purposes:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a gun closure device'of the present invention, with parts cut away;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross section through the assembled gun closure device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As illustrated, the gun closure device comprises a cap 10, having a generally oval cross-sectional shape. In this preferred embodiment, the cap is made of a plastic, resiliently deformable material. The cap has a closed forward end wall I1 and a peripheral skirt 12.. The peripheral skirt 12 projects forwardly to some extent beyond the forward end wall ll, being integrally connected with the end wall by a neck portion 13, and thereby defining a peripheral groove 14 extending forwardly of the forward end wall 11 between this wall an and the peripheral skirt 12. The skirt 12 also has on its inner surface a peripheral shoulder 15 extending substantially at right angles to the skirt l2, and the face of which is presented forwardly. The cap ll) is a one-piece unitary molding of plastic.

The gun closure device further comprises a plug 16, having a closed rear end wall 17 and a forwardly extending skirt E8 of generally frustoconical shape, the forward end 20 being the larger end. The skirt 18 has a series of integral radially outwardly extending projections 12. The forward end 20 of the plug 16 is open. The plug is similarly a one-piece unitary molding of plastic, and is resiliently deformable. The cap 10 and.

plug 16 are adapted to interfit with the forward end of a sight guard protective sleeve 21. The sleeve 2i as in normal practice is of tough, durable but flexible leather, and has a soft tex tile liner 22 stitched to its inner surface at 23. The space between the sleeve 21 and the liner 22 is filled with a soft,

fibrous or foam rubber material 24 (see FIG. 2). Adjacent its.

projections 19 on the plug passing through the apertures 25 on the sleeve. The plug and sleeve thus assembled are received within the peripheral skirt 12 of the cap 10, the ends of the projections 19 being received forwardly of the shoulder 15 on the plug, thereby retaining the device as assembled. The outer periphery of the projections 19 is substantially the same as the inner periphery of the skirt l2 of the cap rearwardly of the shoulder 15, so that the parts are a force fit at this location. Once the projections 19 are received forwardly of the shoulder 15, therefore, the parts are permanently assembled.

The open forward end 20 of the plug 16 and the open forward end of the sleeve 21 are received within the groove 14 of the cap 10, in a snug manner to ensure an irreversibly interfitting device. The frustoconicalshape of the skirt 18 of the plug l5 ensures that an annular space 26 is left between the sleeve 21 and the plug 16 at the rear end thereof, to accommodate the liner 22 and stitching 23 of the sleeve 21.

The muzzle end of the gun barrel 27 is shown in its approximate position in FIG. 2. It will be seen from FIG. 2 that any impacts on the forward end of the device will cause the gun barrel 27 to move forwardly relative to the device, until the muzzle end encounters the rear wall 17 of the plug 16. Any shock of such encounter will be absorbed by the resilient nature of the plug 16 and cap 10, and by the air pocket 28 defined between the plug 16 and the forward end wall 11 of the cap 10. Any impact of the barrel 27 on the end wall 17 of the plug will, in fact, cause the end wall 17 to buckle resiliently forwardly. Such buckling'will tend to cause the projections 19 to move radially outwardly, thereby providing even firmer securing means of the plug 16 to the cap 10.

Polyethylene is the preferred material from which to make the cap and plug, since it is durable, substantially completely resistant to moisture and will withstand the necessary temperatures to which the gun case may be subjected, without serious distortion. In addition, the closure device as illustrated is self-aerating so as to allow release of any harmful moisture. Further, and as noted above, the plug and cap can be made as one-piece unitary moldings from plastic, thereby making the parts of the device simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

The cap and the plug may if desired be made of a nonresilient material. A gun case end cap constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of this invention but made of nonresilient material is an attractive, neat and efficient type of nonseparable, self-aerating end cap. Whilst such a cap will not provide an impact cushioning feature to the same extent as a device made of resilient material, it is nevertheless a useful and desirable novel article.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, it will be appreciated that this is by way of illustration and not limitation. There are other ways of putting into practice the present invention, the scope of which is limited only by the following claims.

Iclaim:

l. A gun case protective closure device comprising:

a cap having a closed forward end and a peripheral skirt having at least one inwardly extending projection; a flexible sleeve integral with or attachable to the gun case, the forward end of which has peripherally spaced apertures adjacent thereto and is adapted to be snugly received within the skirt of said cap;

a plug having a closed rear end and radially outwardly extending projections, the plug having a cross-sectional shape and size to be an interference fit within the sleeve received within the skirt of said cap; and

the radially outwardly extending projections on the plug and the inwardly extending projection on the cap being adapted to interfit and to cooperate with the apertures in the sleeve on assembly of the closure device, thereby to retain the closure device in assembled relationship.

2. The closure device of claim 1 wherein the inwardly extending projection on the peripheral skirt of the cap comprises a peripheral shoulder extending substantially at right angles to the skirt and the face of which sheulder is presented toward the forward end, and the radially outwardly extending projections on the plug are adapted to be received through the apertures in the sleeve and forwardly of the shoulder of the cap,

thereby to retain the closure device irreversibly in assembled relationship.

3. The closure device of claim 2, in which the plug has a forwardly extending peripheral skirt carrying said projections, and an open forward end.

4. The closure device of claim 3 in which the cap has a peripheral groove between the forward end wall and the peripheral skirt and extending forwardly of the forward end wall, the groove having a radial dimension to provide a snug fit for the forward end of the skirt of the plug and the forward end of the sleeve.

5. The closure device of claim 4 in which the cap and the plug are made of resiliently deformable material.

6. The closure device of claim 5 in which the cap and the plug are made of polyethylene.

7. The closure device of claim 6, in which the peripheral skirt of the plug is generally frustoconical in shape, the closed rear end being the small end thereof.

8. The closure device of claim 7, wherein the flexible sleeve comprises the sight guard element of the gun case. 

1. A gun case protective closure device comprising: a cap having a closed forward end and a peripheral skirt having at least one inwardly extending projection; a flexible sleeve integral with or attachable to the gun case, the forward end of which has peripherally spaced apertures adjacent thereto and is adapted to be snugly received within the skirt of said cap; a plug having a closed rear end and radially outwardly extending projections, the plug having a cross-sectional shape and size to be an interference fit within the sleeve received within the skirt of said cap; and the radially outwardly extending projections on the plug and the inwardly extending projection on the cap being adapted to interfit and to cooperate with the apertures in the sleeve on assembly of the closure device, thereby to retain the closure device in assembled relationship.
 2. The closure device of claim 1 wherein the inwardly extending projection on the peripheral skirt of the cap comprises a peripheral shoulder extending substantially at right angles to the skirt and the face of which shoulder is presented toward the forward end, and the radially outwardly extending projections on the plug are adapted to be received through the apertures in the sleeve and forwardly of the shoulder of the cap, thereby to retain the closure device irreversibly in assembled relationship.
 3. The closure device of claim 2, in which the plug has a forwardly extending peripheral skirt carrying said projections, and an open forward end.
 4. The closure device of claim 3 in which the cap has a peripheral groove between the forward end wall and the peripheral skirt and extending forwardly of the forward end wall, the groove having a radial dimension to provide a snug fit for the forward end of the skirt of the plug and the forward end of the sleeve.
 5. The closure device of claim 4 in which the cap and the plug are made of resiliently deformable material.
 6. The closure device of claim 5 in which the cap and the plug are made of polyethylene.
 7. The closure device of claim 6, in which the peripheral skirt of the plug is generally frustoconical in shape, the closed rear end being the small end thereof.
 8. The closure device of claim 7, wherein the flexible sleeve comprises the sight guard element of the gun case. 